Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentCoping
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Coping
Bronchoconstriction is tightening of the smooth muscles of thebronchiandbronchioles(airways), causing the airways to become narrow and obstructing the movement of air into and out of the lungs. Bronchoconstriction is characteristic ofasthmaas well as lung diseases such as emphysema, viral infections, stress, and other health concerns.
Bronchoconstriction can lead to a respiratory emergency, such as anasthma attack, which must be treated with inhaled medication to relieve symptoms. Future occurrences can be prevented with medication, trigger avoidance, and/or other treatments (depending on the cause).
Verywell / Jessica Olah
Types of Bronchoconstriction
Airway constriction is a symptom of many medical conditions but most often is associated withvarious types of asthmaand asthma-like conditions.
For example:
Among other lung diseases associated with susceptibility to bronchoconstriction:
Is It Asthma or Something Else?
Bronchoconstriction Symptoms
As the airways that carry air to and from the lung constrict, several breathing-related problems can occur. Some may be minor and easy to overcome. However, if the symptoms do not resolve on their own or with medication and/or are severe, they can lead to serious complications.
Symptoms of bronchoconstriction due to any cause are similar to typicalasthma symptomsand include:
In rare instances, bronchoconstriction can cause serious medical complications or fatality. In most cases, however, these episodes can be managed with proper treatment.
Shortness of Breath
When airways are constricted, it becomes difficult to get enough air into the lungs to support body functions. In response, the brain sends out a signal that you need to breathe faster to get more oxygen.
These brief, rapid inhalations are characteristic ofshortness of breath.While the intent is to get more air inside the lungs, as long as the airway is narrowed, the need for more oxygen will persist. If shortness of breath continues, it can lead to oxygen deprivation, which can cause confusion or loss of consciousness.
Chest Tightness
Chest tightnessis the feeling that a band around your chest is preventing you from pushing air in and out of your lungs. It can begin at the same time as other symptoms or occur after they’ve started.
This sensation and the feeling that you can’t control your breathing can cause anxiety that only worsens your symptoms.
Chronic Cough
Achronic coughis one that can’t be soothed. In the case of bronchoconstriction, cough receptors are stimulated as the airway is narrowed, although why this occurs is not well understood.
The result is a cough that is dry and non-productive, which means there is no phlegm or mucus involved. Instead, the cough sounds raspy, dry, and wheezy.
Wheezing
Wheezingis the high-pitched sound that you make when you inhale or exhale through a narrowed airway. Wheezing after physical activity may be the first sign of asthma or EIB, especially in children.
While this is not a life-threatening symptom in itself, it can alert you that you have uncontrolled asthma and need additional care. It can also occur when you are having a life-threatening attack. Discuss the possibility of EIB, asthma, or other lung problems with your healthcare provider.
The process of bronchoconstriction starts when something triggers the muscles along the airways to tighten. This squeezes the bronchi and bronchioles, which narrows your airway. In susceptible people, a variety of stimuli in the airway can cause tightening.
Healthcare providers don’t yet understand the full process, but evidence suggests certain stimuli trigger multiple complex responses from your body that have to do with specialized immune-system cells, blood circulation, and nerves. Genetics may also play a role.
Further complicating the matter, different triggers can cause bronchoconstriction in different ways.
Allergens, irritants, and cold air are the most common triggers.
Allergens and Irritants
Common asthma triggers include:
Irritants cause bronchoconstriction via a biological process that’s similar but involves a different mix of cells and chemicals in your body.Common airway irritants include:
Even if you’re not allergic to their components, airborne pollen and dust can irritate your airways too.
Inhaling Cold Air
Bronchoconstriction occurs in people who are sensitive to cool air traveling through their airways. This is a particular concern for those with EIB.
When you exercise, you breathe in through your mouth as you try to pull in more oxygen to keep up with the physical exertion. The air you breathe in through your mouth is cooler than the air you breathe in through the nose.
If you’re exercising in a cold environment, such as outdoors in the winter, the low-temperature air may trigger a reaction that causes the muscles around your airways to contract.
Symptoms of bronchoconstriction may occur shortly after starting a workout and may continue 10 to 15 minutes after stopping exercise. They will usually go away within 20 to 30 minutes of stopping the activity.
Research shows people susceptible to cold-weather muscle tightening of the airways include those with lung disease as well as healthy people—even high-level athletes—with no known lung ailments.
Other Triggers
While less common, numerous other stimuli can cause bronchoconstriction in susceptible people, including:
How and Why Asthma Occurs
The initial diagnosis of bronchoconstriction is based on self-reported symptoms. Your healthcare provider will investigate to determine what triggers the constriction. The evaluation will include a complete history, physical examination, andpulmonary function testing.
An EIB diagnosis usually requires an exercise test. Your practitioner will usespirometryto measure your lung function before and after exercise.The test may include checking your tolerance of cold air.
How Pulmonary Function Tests Work
Similar Conditions
Some conditions have symptoms very similar to asthma and bronchoconstriction but aren’t actually related to them, includingvocal cord dysfunctionand cardiac asthma.
Despite what its name suggests,cardiac asthmaisn’t really a type of asthma. It’s a symptom of left-sided heart failure, which causes breathing problems due to fluid accumulating in the lungs (pulmonary edema).
These distinctions are important, as vocal chord dysfunction and cardiac asthma don’t respond to the same treatments as bronchoconstriction and asthma.
The first step in treating bronchoconstriction is determining what your triggers are and avoiding them. While this sounds easy, it can be challenging. Many times you need to act like a detective, recording your symptoms, habits, and exposures and looking for links between them.
If your trigger is another condition, such as GERD or viral infection, treating that condition will likely improve your bronchoconstriction.
Medication
SABAs and LABAs relax the smooth muscles that line the airways, allowing them to open again so breathing can return to normal and symptoms cease. In addition to easing symptoms during an attack, these medications can prevent exercised-induced bronchoconstriction from occurring.
SABAs and LABAs do not decrease underlying inflammation, however. People with asthma who need a LABA will also need to be prescribed an inhaled steroid, a powerful anti-inflammatory medication. This is usually given in a combination inhaler that contains the two medications. People with asthma that need a SABA may or may not need to be prescribed an inhaled steroid.
In addition to these common treatments, other medical approaches that might be used include:
Do I Need a Combination Asthma Inhaler?
If you’re not diagnosed with asthma, you and your healthcare provider should still develop a plan that outlines what triggers to avoid.
Even if you are an athlete, appropriate medical treatment usually allows you to continue the activities you enjoy.
Some simple measures, such as wearing a scarf over your mouth when it’s cold or a mask during allergy season, may make a big difference in your symptoms.
A Word From Verywell
While bronchoconstriction can be frightening, especially the first few times it happens, you have options for getting and keeping it under control. Working closely with your healthcare provider, sticking to your treatment regimen, and avoiding irritants whenever possible can keep you breathing freely and living fully.
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Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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